Moody's downgrades Nike's bond rating, expects cost pressures to remain high

Rating agency Moody's downgraded Nike (NKE.US) senior unsecured bond rating from A1 to A2, but adjusted the rating outlook from negative to stable to reflect the cost pressures brought by tariffs.

The report pointed out that although Nike's strategy is expected to gradually drive the recovery of market share and profit margins, cost pressures remain severe due to factors such as rising tariffs, consumers being more cautious with discretionary spending, and increasingly fierce market competition, with the pace of improvement expected to be slower than anticipated. The agency expects Nike's operating revenue to begin recovering in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026, but performance in fiscal year 2027 will still be below the levels of the same period in fiscal years 2018 to 2019. Additionally, increased capital expenditures and high dividend payments are expected to lead to a decline in cash flow